When a dielectric material is placed in a uniform electric field, which of the following statements best describes the effect on the electric field strength inside the material?

When a dielectric is put into a uniform electric field, the material’s molecules align and create their own opposite field, which partially cancels the applied field. This internal polarization reduces the net electric field inside the material, so the field strength there is lower than the external field. The reduction is proportional to the material’s permittivity: a higher‑dielectric constant means a stronger cancellation and a smaller internal field. For example, if a plastic sheet with a dielectric constant of 4 is placed in a 100 V/m field, the field inside becomes roughly 25 V/m, showing the field has been divided by the permittivity. Thus, the best description is that the dielectric weakens the electric field inside it.